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Sasha McCandless #1
Irreparable Harm
There's an app for everything. Even evil.
Attorney Sasha McCandless is closing in on the prize after eight long years: she's months away from being made partner at a prestigious law firm. All she has to do is keep her head down and her billable hours up.
Then a plane operated by her client slams into the side of a mountain, killing everyone aboard. Sasha gears up to prepare a defense to the inevitable civil lawsuits.
She quickly realizes the crash was no accident: a developer has created an application that can control a commercial plane's onboard computer from a smartphone. Now it's for sale to the highest bidder.
Sasha joins forces with a federal air marshal who's investigating the crash. As they race to prevent another airline disaster, people close to the matter start turning up dead. Sasha must rely on both her legal skills and her Krav Maga training to stop the madman before he kills her.
Sasha will need to rely on her legal training and her Krav Maga training in equal measure to find and stop a madman before he strikes again.
Attorney Sasha McCandless is closing in on the prize after eight long years: she's months away from being made partner at a prestigious law firm. All she has to do is keep her head down and her billable hours up.
Then a plane operated by her client slams into the side of a mountain, killing everyone aboard. Sasha gears up to prepare a defense to the inevitable civil lawsuits.
She quickly realizes the crash was no accident: a developer has created an application that can control a commercial plane's onboard computer from a smartphone. Now it's for sale to the highest bidder.
Sasha joins forces with a federal air marshal who's investigating the crash. As they race to prevent another airline disaster, people close to the matter start turning up dead. Sasha must rely on both her legal skills and her Krav Maga training to stop the madman before he kills her.
Sasha will need to rely on her legal training and her Krav Maga training in equal measure to find and stop a madman before he strikes again.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2011
5193 people are currently reading
6623 people want to read
About the author
Melissa F. Miller
89 books594 followersMelissa F. Miller is a multi-time USA Today bestselling author of mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance novels. Formerly a complex commercial litigator, Melissa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in medieval literature and creative writing poetry and earned her JD, cum laude, from the Duquesne University School of Law, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Law Review.
After fifteen years, Melissa traded the practice of law for the art of storytelling, drawing on her legal background and love of research to craft fast-paced, twisty books for readers who believe light drives out darkness, love is brave, and kind is strong. She writes strong, resilient characters who tackle serious (and sometimes dark) issues and themes with heart.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Novelists, Inc. When she’s not writing, you can find her tending her garden, doing yoga, or drinking coffee. Melissa currently lives outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her family and their rescues—a cat and a beagle. The cat’s in charge.
After fifteen years, Melissa traded the practice of law for the art of storytelling, drawing on her legal background and love of research to craft fast-paced, twisty books for readers who believe light drives out darkness, love is brave, and kind is strong. She writes strong, resilient characters who tackle serious (and sometimes dark) issues and themes with heart.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Novelists, Inc. When she’s not writing, you can find her tending her garden, doing yoga, or drinking coffee. Melissa currently lives outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her family and their rescues—a cat and a beagle. The cat’s in charge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,082 reviews
June 11, 2020
Lovely legal thriller.
Love the protagonist.
Hate-hate-hate the corporate morass! Grrrr! it's shown way too close to home. As a result, I need to rant:
Gawsh, why oh why do we, as humans, insist on closing oursevlses into office shoeboxes? What the mash is wrong with us all? Whew.
Q:
They could hardly have imagined that, as shiny new lawyers, they would spend their days, nights, and weekends staring at computer screens, reading one inane e-mail after another—sifting through the forwarded jokes, spam advertisements for Viagra, and mundane details of a client’s new transportation benefit in an effort to find evidence of insider trading, an antitrust conspiracy, or legal advice regarding some action of the company. Sasha felt sorry for them. At least when she was cutting her teeth on document reviews, she got to travel to exotic locations like Duluth and paw through boxes of yellowing paper in unheated warehouses instead of being subjected to some stranger’s collection of Internet porn. (c)
Q:
It was criminal, the way firms like Prescott demanded the brightest legal minds and then prevented them from actually practicing law for the first several years of their careers. (c)
Q:
Sasha felt a smidgeon of guilt that the others had been pulled off their late-night document review tasks only to hurry up and wait, but that was just a fact of big firm life. It could be maddeningly inefficient. (c)
Q:
The assembled attorneys bobbed their heads, sold on the idea. Caught up in the moment, they failed to appreciate the difference between discrediting a for-hire whore selling his opinions to the highest bidder and destroying the shell-shocked family members’ memories of their loved ones—men and women who were just trying to get from Point A to Point B.
If averages held, two of the associates sitting around the table would stumble onto that distinction at some point. And one of them would care. That one would become a former Prescott attorney. The other would someday pick out the furniture for a corner office. (c)
Q:
After her elevation to partner, her already-unpleasant demeanor took a turn toward vile. She became a screamer; she was a terror to work for and impossible to please. (c)
Q:
The Sabbatical Program was another of the Prescott & Talbott Work-Balance Committee’s misguided attempts to improve attorney morale. Any equity partner could apply for either a six-month or twelve-month paid sabbatical to recharge, pursue a passion project, travel, teach a class, volunteer, whatever. When the program was announced, it had an effect on attorney morale all right, just not the intended one. (c)
Q:
“I have my ways.” ...
“What? You reach through the phone and punch him in the nose?” (c)
Q:
His mind was a wonderful machine, but it needed to be babied, like a classic car or an orchid or some shit. (c)
Q:
The tunnel was the handiwork of a city planner who’d been born to design carnival rides. (c)
Q:
For some reason, her continuing education requirement snuck up on her every year and she ended up at seminars like transportation law or elder rights—things that had no relevance to her practice. (c)
Q:
She focused on the ribbon of road and her sweet coffee drink and tried to think of herself as a restful fish.
Apparently, her passenger was also part fish. (c)
Q:
Starting every sentence with “and” was a lazy trial attorney’s way of developing a rhythm. It drove her up the wall. (c)
Q:
“Really, Naya? You think Mickey would conspire to commit mass murder, but the ethical prohibition on fee splitting would stop him?” (c)
Q:
Hemisphere Air remained a Prescott & Talbott client because one of the partners’ wives had passed a candle around a circle in some bastardized Greek ceremony with the Vice President of Legal Affairs. (c)
Q:
... drafting a diligence memo. It was a tedious, soul-crushing, and vital job. (c)
Q:
“Nice client relations your firm has. She need medical treatment?” (c)
Love the protagonist.
Hate-hate-hate the corporate morass! Grrrr! it's shown way too close to home. As a result, I need to rant:
Gawsh, why oh why do we, as humans, insist on closing oursevlses into office shoeboxes? What the mash is wrong with us all? Whew.
Q:
They could hardly have imagined that, as shiny new lawyers, they would spend their days, nights, and weekends staring at computer screens, reading one inane e-mail after another—sifting through the forwarded jokes, spam advertisements for Viagra, and mundane details of a client’s new transportation benefit in an effort to find evidence of insider trading, an antitrust conspiracy, or legal advice regarding some action of the company. Sasha felt sorry for them. At least when she was cutting her teeth on document reviews, she got to travel to exotic locations like Duluth and paw through boxes of yellowing paper in unheated warehouses instead of being subjected to some stranger’s collection of Internet porn. (c)
Q:
It was criminal, the way firms like Prescott demanded the brightest legal minds and then prevented them from actually practicing law for the first several years of their careers. (c)
Q:
Sasha felt a smidgeon of guilt that the others had been pulled off their late-night document review tasks only to hurry up and wait, but that was just a fact of big firm life. It could be maddeningly inefficient. (c)
Q:
The assembled attorneys bobbed their heads, sold on the idea. Caught up in the moment, they failed to appreciate the difference between discrediting a for-hire whore selling his opinions to the highest bidder and destroying the shell-shocked family members’ memories of their loved ones—men and women who were just trying to get from Point A to Point B.
If averages held, two of the associates sitting around the table would stumble onto that distinction at some point. And one of them would care. That one would become a former Prescott attorney. The other would someday pick out the furniture for a corner office. (c)
Q:
After her elevation to partner, her already-unpleasant demeanor took a turn toward vile. She became a screamer; she was a terror to work for and impossible to please. (c)
Q:
The Sabbatical Program was another of the Prescott & Talbott Work-Balance Committee’s misguided attempts to improve attorney morale. Any equity partner could apply for either a six-month or twelve-month paid sabbatical to recharge, pursue a passion project, travel, teach a class, volunteer, whatever. When the program was announced, it had an effect on attorney morale all right, just not the intended one. (c)
Q:
“I have my ways.” ...
“What? You reach through the phone and punch him in the nose?” (c)
Q:
His mind was a wonderful machine, but it needed to be babied, like a classic car or an orchid or some shit. (c)
Q:
The tunnel was the handiwork of a city planner who’d been born to design carnival rides. (c)
Q:
For some reason, her continuing education requirement snuck up on her every year and she ended up at seminars like transportation law or elder rights—things that had no relevance to her practice. (c)
Q:
She focused on the ribbon of road and her sweet coffee drink and tried to think of herself as a restful fish.
Apparently, her passenger was also part fish. (c)
Q:
Starting every sentence with “and” was a lazy trial attorney’s way of developing a rhythm. It drove her up the wall. (c)
Q:
“Really, Naya? You think Mickey would conspire to commit mass murder, but the ethical prohibition on fee splitting would stop him?” (c)
Q:
Hemisphere Air remained a Prescott & Talbott client because one of the partners’ wives had passed a candle around a circle in some bastardized Greek ceremony with the Vice President of Legal Affairs. (c)
Q:
... drafting a diligence memo. It was a tedious, soul-crushing, and vital job. (c)
Q:
“Nice client relations your firm has. She need medical treatment?” (c)
March 23, 2015
3.5 * An entertaining book which captures the reader at the get go as a Boeing 737 goes off course and slams into a mountain. Sasha McCandless is a smart and savvy corporate lawyer assigned to defend civil law suits from this catastrophe. At five feet three inches tall she is well trained, with bone breaking moves from combat Krav Maga training, and does serious damage to thugs who get in her way as they try to stop her from discovering why the plane crashed. Irreparable Harm moves at a good pace, with brief court room scenes, and the best take downs I’ve ever read. I look forward to reading more of Miss McCandless adventures.
August 15, 2017
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: There's an app for everything. Even evil.
Attorney Sasha McCandless is closing in on the prize after eight long years: she's months away from being made partner at a prestigious law firm. All she has to do is keep her head down and her billable hours up.
Then a plane operated by her client slams into the side of a mountain, killing everyone aboard. Sasha gears up to prepare a defense to the inevitable civil lawsuits.
She quickly realizes the crash was no accident: a developer has created an application that can control a commercial plane's onboard computer from a smartphone. Now it's for sale to the highest bidder.
Sasha joins forces with a federal air marshal who's investigating the crash. As they race to prevent another airline disaster, people close to the matter start turning up dead. Sasha must rely on both her legal skills and her Krav Maga training to stop the madman before he kills her.
Sasha will need to rely on her legal training and her Krav Maga training in equal measure to find and stop a madman before he strikes again.
My Review: If you'd like to see how far Amazon has to go with its integration of Kindle highlighting into it title quotations, go look at this. Yikes.
Anyway, lookee here at me writing a review! And of a book I read on the Kindle, where if I'm lucky I get around half of what's going on! And follow that link to see just one of my mechanical issues with the Kindle as a note-taking device...I left three notes myownself, all carefully done, and they're only visible to people who bother to read them. Mine make sense, I promise, and I didn't leave dangly bits of sentences or anything. Why aren't they in the quotes? I could not tell you.
But back to why I'm reviewing a Kindle thriller: I think you should read it. I was engaged all the way through, even the parts where Author Miller walks me through the steps of a krav maga attack/defense, which she did several times when once would've been enough. Better yet, most of the time I was excited. Me! The cynical old "and how many times have I read *that* trope?" pursey-lipped nay-sayer! Excited! As in "can't you go up to the dining room for dinner, I'm reading" excited!
Why, you ask...and I'm glad you did because I was fixin' to tell y'all anyway...because Author Miller is a lawyer, and it shows, who *gets* that a legal case is a story with multiple main characters, a built-in motive for a crime, a cast of necessary characters already in place, and a plethora of available outcomes from one established set of facts.
Which is my attempt at tweaking her lawyerly nose with a dryly legalish presentation of the compliment that she followed the winding maze of legal hoo-hah without being predictable or, as I prefer to think of it, lazy. Writers who set the pattern for themselves and then just follow it write well-plotted but often...uninspiring...stories. It feels to me as though Melissa Miller tried to do that but was foiled in her attempt by the stroppiness of both Sasha and Naya, and the exasperated admiration of Judge Cook for Sasha was also (I suspect) a little bit of a surprise to Author Miller. I got the feeling Leo needed to catch up with Sasha a time or two when he was led by the outline to expect her *here* but she was *there*. These are good things. They show me the story was alive when it was published.
The parts of the story that left me the most contented were the usual suspects in a series mystery: ma'at is served, the bad are punished in a manner both swift and condign, and the events of the story leave the landscape intact but altered. This is, to the best of my knowledge, the first book published by Author Miller. It is the first in her series of ten thrillers starring Sasha. It is free on Kindle, though I don't know about other e-reader platforms.
And I suggest you think before you buy: The other titles are $4.99 each. You'll want them. I do, and am choosing which pennies to pinch so as to procure them next month.
The Publisher Says: There's an app for everything. Even evil.
Attorney Sasha McCandless is closing in on the prize after eight long years: she's months away from being made partner at a prestigious law firm. All she has to do is keep her head down and her billable hours up.
Then a plane operated by her client slams into the side of a mountain, killing everyone aboard. Sasha gears up to prepare a defense to the inevitable civil lawsuits.
She quickly realizes the crash was no accident: a developer has created an application that can control a commercial plane's onboard computer from a smartphone. Now it's for sale to the highest bidder.
Sasha joins forces with a federal air marshal who's investigating the crash. As they race to prevent another airline disaster, people close to the matter start turning up dead. Sasha must rely on both her legal skills and her Krav Maga training to stop the madman before he kills her.
Sasha will need to rely on her legal training and her Krav Maga training in equal measure to find and stop a madman before he strikes again.
My Review: If you'd like to see how far Amazon has to go with its integration of Kindle highlighting into it title quotations, go look at this. Yikes.
Anyway, lookee here at me writing a review! And of a book I read on the Kindle, where if I'm lucky I get around half of what's going on! And follow that link to see just one of my mechanical issues with the Kindle as a note-taking device...I left three notes myownself, all carefully done, and they're only visible to people who bother to read them. Mine make sense, I promise, and I didn't leave dangly bits of sentences or anything. Why aren't they in the quotes? I could not tell you.
But back to why I'm reviewing a Kindle thriller: I think you should read it. I was engaged all the way through, even the parts where Author Miller walks me through the steps of a krav maga attack/defense, which she did several times when once would've been enough. Better yet, most of the time I was excited. Me! The cynical old "and how many times have I read *that* trope?" pursey-lipped nay-sayer! Excited! As in "can't you go up to the dining room for dinner, I'm reading" excited!
Why, you ask...and I'm glad you did because I was fixin' to tell y'all anyway...because Author Miller is a lawyer, and it shows, who *gets* that a legal case is a story with multiple main characters, a built-in motive for a crime, a cast of necessary characters already in place, and a plethora of available outcomes from one established set of facts.
Which is my attempt at tweaking her lawyerly nose with a dryly legalish presentation of the compliment that she followed the winding maze of legal hoo-hah without being predictable or, as I prefer to think of it, lazy. Writers who set the pattern for themselves and then just follow it write well-plotted but often...uninspiring...stories. It feels to me as though Melissa Miller tried to do that but was foiled in her attempt by the stroppiness of both Sasha and Naya, and the exasperated admiration of Judge Cook for Sasha was also (I suspect) a little bit of a surprise to Author Miller. I got the feeling Leo needed to catch up with Sasha a time or two when he was led by the outline to expect her *here* but she was *there*. These are good things. They show me the story was alive when it was published.
The parts of the story that left me the most contented were the usual suspects in a series mystery: ma'at is served, the bad are punished in a manner both swift and condign, and the events of the story leave the landscape intact but altered. This is, to the best of my knowledge, the first book published by Author Miller. It is the first in her series of ten thrillers starring Sasha. It is free on Kindle, though I don't know about other e-reader platforms.
And I suggest you think before you buy: The other titles are $4.99 each. You'll want them. I do, and am choosing which pennies to pinch so as to procure them next month.
February 3, 2025
New-to-me author Melissa F. Miller has an engaging writing style and a fantastic ability to translate all the complexities and technical information in understandable ways so that anyone can dive into the world of aviation disaster.
I wouldn’t say I’m captivated by the mystery and tragedy of airplane crashes, but I’m intrigued about what goes on in the aftermath. Miller gives us this from a legal point of view and it’s a captivating ride!
When Hemisphere Air Flight No. 1667 en route from Washington National to Dallas-Fort Worth International crashed in Virginia, killing all 156 people on board, the offices of Prescott & Talbott in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are among the first to be contacted. I was swept up in a compelling story about how a legal team is formed and how a case is divided and executed. I was kept in the dark with no idea who was behind this heinous act and the reason behind it.
Great explanation about the title and levels within a law firm.
This was a FANTASTIC series starter and I can’t wait to read more by this author.
I wouldn’t say I’m captivated by the mystery and tragedy of airplane crashes, but I’m intrigued about what goes on in the aftermath. Miller gives us this from a legal point of view and it’s a captivating ride!
When Hemisphere Air Flight No. 1667 en route from Washington National to Dallas-Fort Worth International crashed in Virginia, killing all 156 people on board, the offices of Prescott & Talbott in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are among the first to be contacted. I was swept up in a compelling story about how a legal team is formed and how a case is divided and executed. I was kept in the dark with no idea who was behind this heinous act and the reason behind it.
Great explanation about the title and levels within a law firm.
This was a FANTASTIC series starter and I can’t wait to read more by this author.
April 19, 2015
Legal and medical thrillers always top my list of favorites, most often in that order. So when I got an email from eReader Cafe early this month informing me that this one - the first in a series featuring attorney Sasha McCandless - at no cost, I read the description and took the plunge. Worst case, I told myself, it will cost nothing to find out I don't like it; but on the other hand, it could open up the door to a solid series.
Now that I've finished it, I'm happy to report the best-case scenario won out, and I've added the rest of the books in the series to my want-to-read list.
I must admit, though, that part of the attraction is the Pittsburgh connection. While I'll never be a Steelers fan (go Browns!), we live about 15 minutes west of the Pennsylvania border and have more than a nodding acquaintance with the city and its attractions, many of which are mentioned here. My taste buds kicked into high gear just thinking about one of those all-inclusive Primanti Brothers sandwiches (meat topped with slaw and fries). Now that they're branching out, in fact, we'll be enjoying a new location closer to home in Boardman Township, Ohio, sometime this fall - although to my mind, at least, the satellite locations never will have the cachet of the original that's been going strong in Pittsburgh's Strip District since 1933.
This story begins with the crash of an airplane into a mountain, killing everyone on board. Because the airline is a client of her successful ande hoity-toity law firm, Sasha, who is close to making partner, is tapped to be one of the lead attorneys who will defend the lawsuits that no doubt will follow. But early on, she begins to suspect the crash wasn't an accident; rather, some kind of device was installed on the plane that allows remote control from a smart phone.
Enter a federal air marshal (a relatively attractive single guy, naturally), who's investigating the disaster from a different standpoint. When they learn that a second plane crash is about to happen, they must dive full-on into finding out who's responsible and prevent another disaster. Meantime, Sasha's supervisor at the law firm - the one who heads up the client's legal team - meets an untimely (and suspicious) end, thus putting Sasha in full charge of the investigation. Things turn ugly when the bad guys realize full-on that Sasha and her air marshal buddy are getting too close; all I'll say about that is that it's a good thing she's well trained in a particularly effective defensive form of martial arts.
The book moves along quickly (I read it over the space of two days in spare time), but I'll point out that there's quite a bit of discussion of the ins and outs of legal procedure (which is of considerable interest to me but might be a bit of a drag for other readers) as well as detailed descriptions of Sasha's martial arts moves (interesting to me not so much). Also, it's important to keep in mind that this is a novel. Believing that some of the things described here could happen in the real world - among them installation of a device on an airliner that isn't detected at some point in the inspection process, that a barely 5-foot tall woman could overpower two gigantic thugs in seconds and end up with no serious injuries and that Sasha's air marshal seems to be the only one from the feds who is investigating the airplane crash - is a bit of a stretch.
Overall, though, this is a solid debut novel in the series, and as I said before, I'm now up for finding out what happens in the next one (Inadvertent Disclosure). Stay tuned!
Now that I've finished it, I'm happy to report the best-case scenario won out, and I've added the rest of the books in the series to my want-to-read list.
I must admit, though, that part of the attraction is the Pittsburgh connection. While I'll never be a Steelers fan (go Browns!), we live about 15 minutes west of the Pennsylvania border and have more than a nodding acquaintance with the city and its attractions, many of which are mentioned here. My taste buds kicked into high gear just thinking about one of those all-inclusive Primanti Brothers sandwiches (meat topped with slaw and fries). Now that they're branching out, in fact, we'll be enjoying a new location closer to home in Boardman Township, Ohio, sometime this fall - although to my mind, at least, the satellite locations never will have the cachet of the original that's been going strong in Pittsburgh's Strip District since 1933.
This story begins with the crash of an airplane into a mountain, killing everyone on board. Because the airline is a client of her successful ande hoity-toity law firm, Sasha, who is close to making partner, is tapped to be one of the lead attorneys who will defend the lawsuits that no doubt will follow. But early on, she begins to suspect the crash wasn't an accident; rather, some kind of device was installed on the plane that allows remote control from a smart phone.
Enter a federal air marshal (a relatively attractive single guy, naturally), who's investigating the disaster from a different standpoint. When they learn that a second plane crash is about to happen, they must dive full-on into finding out who's responsible and prevent another disaster. Meantime, Sasha's supervisor at the law firm - the one who heads up the client's legal team - meets an untimely (and suspicious) end, thus putting Sasha in full charge of the investigation. Things turn ugly when the bad guys realize full-on that Sasha and her air marshal buddy are getting too close; all I'll say about that is that it's a good thing she's well trained in a particularly effective defensive form of martial arts.
The book moves along quickly (I read it over the space of two days in spare time), but I'll point out that there's quite a bit of discussion of the ins and outs of legal procedure (which is of considerable interest to me but might be a bit of a drag for other readers) as well as detailed descriptions of Sasha's martial arts moves (interesting to me not so much). Also, it's important to keep in mind that this is a novel. Believing that some of the things described here could happen in the real world - among them installation of a device on an airliner that isn't detected at some point in the inspection process, that a barely 5-foot tall woman could overpower two gigantic thugs in seconds and end up with no serious injuries and that Sasha's air marshal seems to be the only one from the feds who is investigating the airplane crash - is a bit of a stretch.
Overall, though, this is a solid debut novel in the series, and as I said before, I'm now up for finding out what happens in the next one (Inadvertent Disclosure). Stay tuned!
June 12, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
***AUDIO VERSION***
Irreparable Harm is a fast paced, gripping legal thriller about Sasha McCandless who is an attorney and is almost at the goalpost of becoming a partner at her law firm where she works. She has her eye on the prize and is dedicated to achieving this status.
When a plane that is operated by one of her clients crashes into a mountain which kills everyone on board, she gets preparations in order to face the civil law suits that are bound to occur.
This is when Sasha finds out that the crash was not an accident- it was actually planned! As Sasha and an air marshal (who is investigating the event) race against the clock to prevent another premeditated air disaster from occurring, she has to use all her skills as well as self defence skills in the form of Krav Maga to protect herself and put a stop to this killer before he kills her!
This fast paced legal thriller will pull you in from the first chapter and leave your head spinning!
***AUDIO VERSION***
Irreparable Harm is a fast paced, gripping legal thriller about Sasha McCandless who is an attorney and is almost at the goalpost of becoming a partner at her law firm where she works. She has her eye on the prize and is dedicated to achieving this status.
When a plane that is operated by one of her clients crashes into a mountain which kills everyone on board, she gets preparations in order to face the civil law suits that are bound to occur.
This is when Sasha finds out that the crash was not an accident- it was actually planned! As Sasha and an air marshal (who is investigating the event) race against the clock to prevent another premeditated air disaster from occurring, she has to use all her skills as well as self defence skills in the form of Krav Maga to protect herself and put a stop to this killer before he kills her!
This fast paced legal thriller will pull you in from the first chapter and leave your head spinning!
September 20, 2012
I enjoyed that Miller chose a somewhat unusual setting (Pittsburgh) for her debut legal thriller, Irreparable Harm. She was obviously writing about an environment she knows well, as this former patron of Pamela's Diner can attest. :-) Her descriptions of life inside a Big Law defense firm also rang true, as did her insightful observations regarding the ways that the personal relationships between attorneys and judges can subtly but monumentally impact cases at crucial times.
Lawyers can be a particularly cantankerous lot, particularly when it comes to dissecting the pros and cons of a legal thriller. Irreparable Harm may not be as "bulletproof" in that regard as some may like, but neither were any of the author's plot twists so preposterous as to render the rest of the book unreadable.
Sasha is a likeable protagonist stuck in an unenviable position, and it is easy to root for her. Although I personally had to suspend disbelief a bit when she repeatedly used her martial arts skills to disarm and throttle much larger foes, I am sure other readers thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of her character.
All-in-all, this book served as an enjoyable distraction for a few days while I was riding on the train to and from work.
Lawyers can be a particularly cantankerous lot, particularly when it comes to dissecting the pros and cons of a legal thriller. Irreparable Harm may not be as "bulletproof" in that regard as some may like, but neither were any of the author's plot twists so preposterous as to render the rest of the book unreadable.
Sasha is a likeable protagonist stuck in an unenviable position, and it is easy to root for her. Although I personally had to suspend disbelief a bit when she repeatedly used her martial arts skills to disarm and throttle much larger foes, I am sure other readers thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of her character.
All-in-all, this book served as an enjoyable distraction for a few days while I was riding on the train to and from work.
August 27, 2017
An app that crashes planes does nothing to allay my flying jitters but makes for a great plot line. While this legal thriller was a little too formula driven, the story took off right away and kept me engaged throughout. I enjoyed the legal explanations given as the plot progressed along with the strong female lead. I will try out number two in the series.
September 8, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, fast, pacy and very well written. The characters were well formed and believable. The plot engaging and concluded well. I think it really deserves a 4* rating but that is exactly where I struggled. It is undoubtedly a good book but perhaps this is also its greatest flaw. I just felt the author had been on a creative writing course and had stuck strictly to a predefined template. it was a little too formulaic for me. The author played it safe & I would have liked to have seen just a little more risk taking. Don't be put off though this is well worth reading and I will certainly look up the next book in the series and hopefully the author will have found the courage to experiment just a little bit more.
March 21, 2018
A first novel, I think - barely credible plotline, obvious very early with hardly a twist at the end. A lead character who relies on physical self-defence skills as much as legal expertise. Nevertheless , it moved at pace and was easy to read, so ok for a quick Kindle spin.
August 30, 2019
Action from start to finish
Shasha McCandless, a trial lawyer looking to make partner, finds herself in the middle of representing an Airline Company -A company that may have had intentionally had something to do with a crash killing hundreds. Sasha joins up with Leo Donnelly, a federal Air Marshall to prevent another. Sasha gets to make good use of her martial arts skills as well as her lawyerly prowess as she negotiated a fine line between truth and her legal responsibilities.
Solid Read
Shasha McCandless, a trial lawyer looking to make partner, finds herself in the middle of representing an Airline Company -A company that may have had intentionally had something to do with a crash killing hundreds. Sasha joins up with Leo Donnelly, a federal Air Marshall to prevent another. Sasha gets to make good use of her martial arts skills as well as her lawyerly prowess as she negotiated a fine line between truth and her legal responsibilities.
Solid Read
June 10, 2020
Lovely legal thriller.
Q:
They could hardly have imagined that, as shiny new lawyers, they would spend their days, nights, and weekends staring at computer screens, reading one inane e-mail after another—sifting through the forwarded jokes, spam advertisements for Viagra, and mundane details of a client’s new transportation benefit in an effort to find evidence of insider trading, an antitrust conspiracy, or legal advice regarding some action of the company. Sasha felt sorry for them. At least when she was cutting her teeth on document reviews, she got to travel to exotic locations like Duluth and paw through boxes of yellowing paper in unheated warehouses instead of being subjected to some stranger’s collection of Internet porn. (c)
Q:
It was criminal, the way firms like Prescott demanded the brightest legal minds and then prevented them from actually practicing law for the first several years of their careers. (c)
Q:
Sasha felt a smidgeon of guilt that the others had been pulled off their late-night document review tasks only to hurry up and wait, but that was just a fact of big firm life. It could be maddeningly inefficient. (c)
Q:
The assembled attorneys bobbed their heads, sold on the idea. Caught up in the moment, they failed to appreciate the difference between discrediting a for-hire whore selling his opinions to the highest bidder and destroying the shell-shocked family members’ memories of their loved ones—men and women who were just trying to get from Point A to Point B.
If averages held, two of the associates sitting around the table would stumble onto that distinction at some point. And one of them would care. That one would become a former Prescott attorney. The other would someday pick out the furniture for a corner office. (c)
Q:
After her elevation to partner, her already-unpleasant demeanor took a turn toward vile. She became a screamer; she was a terror to work for and impossible to please. (c)
Q:
They could hardly have imagined that, as shiny new lawyers, they would spend their days, nights, and weekends staring at computer screens, reading one inane e-mail after another—sifting through the forwarded jokes, spam advertisements for Viagra, and mundane details of a client’s new transportation benefit in an effort to find evidence of insider trading, an antitrust conspiracy, or legal advice regarding some action of the company. Sasha felt sorry for them. At least when she was cutting her teeth on document reviews, she got to travel to exotic locations like Duluth and paw through boxes of yellowing paper in unheated warehouses instead of being subjected to some stranger’s collection of Internet porn. (c)
Q:
It was criminal, the way firms like Prescott demanded the brightest legal minds and then prevented them from actually practicing law for the first several years of their careers. (c)
Q:
Sasha felt a smidgeon of guilt that the others had been pulled off their late-night document review tasks only to hurry up and wait, but that was just a fact of big firm life. It could be maddeningly inefficient. (c)
Q:
The assembled attorneys bobbed their heads, sold on the idea. Caught up in the moment, they failed to appreciate the difference between discrediting a for-hire whore selling his opinions to the highest bidder and destroying the shell-shocked family members’ memories of their loved ones—men and women who were just trying to get from Point A to Point B.
If averages held, two of the associates sitting around the table would stumble onto that distinction at some point. And one of them would care. That one would become a former Prescott attorney. The other would someday pick out the furniture for a corner office. (c)
Q:
After her elevation to partner, her already-unpleasant demeanor took a turn toward vile. She became a screamer; she was a terror to work for and impossible to please. (c)
April 11, 2025
This was not a typical read for me but I liked this one. The writing reminded me a lot of Mary Higgins Clark's style which I enjoyed. I liked the legal Jargon and the conspiracy behind the accident. Also, the FMC was fierce! Fast paced and the narration was 🔥
Thank you hambright pr for the gifted audiobook
Thank you hambright pr for the gifted audiobook
July 5, 2013
I don't want to sound overly critical. This book sounded mildly interesting and was a free Kindle offering so I downloaded and read. Characterizations are cardboard cutouts. We are offered plenty of cliches and stereotypes. Outside of physical and ethnic characteristics of the heroine and her male sidekick we don't learn much about either one.
The heroine is a lawyer and Miller spends expends a great deal of effort describing the hierarchy a large law firm. This may be interesting to someone who has never watched Boston Legal or The Practice or read any type of legal thriller but for the rest of us the amount of time spent seemed quite redundant. of The plot is pedestrian with a surprise or two along the way to prevent an even lower rating. With a good editor this could have been much better. Cut 75-100 pages, spend more time developing an interesting character and maybe, just maybe you'd have a series worth investment. As it stands this in pure mass-market mindless tripe.
The heroine is a lawyer and Miller spends expends a great deal of effort describing the hierarchy a large law firm. This may be interesting to someone who has never watched Boston Legal or The Practice or read any type of legal thriller but for the rest of us the amount of time spent seemed quite redundant. of The plot is pedestrian with a surprise or two along the way to prevent an even lower rating. With a good editor this could have been much better. Cut 75-100 pages, spend more time developing an interesting character and maybe, just maybe you'd have a series worth investment. As it stands this in pure mass-market mindless tripe.
March 9, 2022
First in legal thriller series does not disappoint -- I'm ready to read the rest of them!
Sasha McCandless, an associate at a prestigious law firm, is working hard to make partner. When one of the firm's biggest clients needs help after a commercial airline flight crashes unexpectedly, she is immediately involved in defending them when a class action lawsuit is filed. It turns out that this crash may have been deliberate, caused by a piece of rogue technology. As Sasha unearths incriminating information, she tries to get answers and finds that a federal air marshal is also investigating this case. Not sure who to trust, and with people involved suddenly dying, Sasha knows she has to get to the truth before someone gets her.
I downloaded this as a freebie from Amazon a long time ago and was not in the mood for anything in my review queue, so I picked it up and started reading. A couple hours later, I put it down having read in a single sitting. I was thoroughly entertained with the main character and the story. I do love a good legal thriller and hope to see more courtroom action in the subsequent installments. Sasha is a tiny woman and knows Krav Maga which really helps her out against the bad guys trying to get her. Perhaps less fighting in the next one? On to #2 as this had all the elements I was wanting in my current frame of mind - lots of action action, good plot, minimal romance, no domestic drama, no psychological twisting, no supernatural, and no horror.
Sasha McCandless, an associate at a prestigious law firm, is working hard to make partner. When one of the firm's biggest clients needs help after a commercial airline flight crashes unexpectedly, she is immediately involved in defending them when a class action lawsuit is filed. It turns out that this crash may have been deliberate, caused by a piece of rogue technology. As Sasha unearths incriminating information, she tries to get answers and finds that a federal air marshal is also investigating this case. Not sure who to trust, and with people involved suddenly dying, Sasha knows she has to get to the truth before someone gets her.
I downloaded this as a freebie from Amazon a long time ago and was not in the mood for anything in my review queue, so I picked it up and started reading. A couple hours later, I put it down having read in a single sitting. I was thoroughly entertained with the main character and the story. I do love a good legal thriller and hope to see more courtroom action in the subsequent installments. Sasha is a tiny woman and knows Krav Maga which really helps her out against the bad guys trying to get her. Perhaps less fighting in the next one? On to #2 as this had all the elements I was wanting in my current frame of mind - lots of action action, good plot, minimal romance, no domestic drama, no psychological twisting, no supernatural, and no horror.
August 14, 2012
Another book I picked up free. Sasha McCandless is an attorney in a presigous firm on her way to being a partner. Then an airline ( a major client) has a plane crash and that's when all the excitement starts. Sasha can certainly take care of herself when confronting anyone who tries to intimidate her. While their certainly were some cliches and I did figure out some of the people involved, it was a good book that I didn't want to put down,
December 26, 2013
This is a perfectly acceptable legal thrilled. There's nothing revolutionary about it, and I had most of the plot figured out before I was 40 pages deep. That said, these books are perfect for quick reads after the holidays, so I'm not complaining.
I purchased the second book in the series for my Nook, and I plan to read that before the New Year as well. The first book was a very quick read (finished it in just over 12 hours), and I suspect the second one will be as well.
I purchased the second book in the series for my Nook, and I plan to read that before the New Year as well. The first book was a very quick read (finished it in just over 12 hours), and I suspect the second one will be as well.
April 13, 2015
Enjoyable legal thriller
Irreparable Harm has lots going for it. I liked the spunky protagonist, who didn't need a man to rescue her. I liked the plot, which kept me reading on. I liked the characters, both good and bad, because they all had a reality to them. I even liked the legal detail, which was given in short bursts. It was a good read, not too intense, with heroes to cheer for. Just what I was looking for at the moment.
Irreparable Harm has lots going for it. I liked the spunky protagonist, who didn't need a man to rescue her. I liked the plot, which kept me reading on. I liked the characters, both good and bad, because they all had a reality to them. I even liked the legal detail, which was given in short bursts. It was a good read, not too intense, with heroes to cheer for. Just what I was looking for at the moment.
July 1, 2017
The book was good. I expected a courtroom drama when I downloaded it on kindle ( it was free !!). But there were hardly a few instances where the drama was played out in court. The main character is a lawyer who is also capable of killing people. It was fast and plot was also woven beautifully. Would not hesitate to pick up a book or download another Melissa Miller book.
October 19, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
November 21, 2012
I really enjoyed this! It was fast paced, heroine was uber likeable, and the storyline was fine.
It's written not so much as a who-done-it, but rather as a how-they'll-get-caught. I liked that approach, since I'm not a big who-done-it reader.
Looking forward to reading more in the series.
It's written not so much as a who-done-it, but rather as a how-they'll-get-caught. I liked that approach, since I'm not a big who-done-it reader.
Looking forward to reading more in the series.
June 13, 2017
I absolutely enjoyed this novel. The protagonist is a petite powerhouse and someone I would want to meet!! This was a quick read; perfect for vacation.
Is this a series? I would definitely want to read the next one.
Is this a series? I would definitely want to read the next one.
August 14, 2012
I enjoyed this as a legal thriller. Some of the action was a little predictable and far fetched but still a great read.
May 22, 2025
BEYOND 5 stars!!! Now one of my ALL TIME favorites, I will not stop thinking about how good it was for a long while. What would I change about it?…. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING : the twists. The turns. The characters. The storytelling & flow. It was all SO well written and I am honestly blown away by how much I loved it.
If anything about this plot appeals to you at all, you need to start this book *immediately*. I can say with almost full confidence that you will not be disappointed. Brilliant!! I will one thousand percent be reading this entire series now and I am SO stoked for it.
I wasn’t confused by it once, (even if I did take character notes just to be safe). Usually books like this that have so many layers - I can still love, but get a bit mixed up in. Not this one at all. It was complex, but didn’t confuse me. I enjoyed every second of it + there were times where I reallyyyy was hanging onto every word and couldn’t read it fast enough. I love books like that. Not one thing would I change.
Listened to it on audio. I can say with full honesty that if I hadn’t received it as a gift in the mail from the author, I 100%, would’ve bought it for my shelf because it’s just THAT good. Narrator was really awesome and talented. Just the right amount of stern and I loved it. Great reader and really awesome to listen to, too.
I really loved how it wasn’t out of left field with the turns. Like it wasn’t completely and utterly ridiculous or implausible with what she wrote in. That being said, it’s not like they were too easy either. Like I keep on saying as before, just perfect. And I’m going to say again how much I LOVED the characters.
Not the first time nor the last I will be talking about this one. HUGE thank you to hambright pr and the author for my audio & physical copy.
Please go it add it to your TBR rn!! Go!! (And don’t be intimidated by how long it is, I didn’t want it to end!!) Summed up so nicely as well. Giddy & kicking my feet status rn. SO GOOD. Went back to listen to it twice hehe … go read !! 🫶🏻
Loved the author’s note in my physical copy. Just beautiful. (And I wanted to add- the name drop of the title in court- chefs kiss)
If anything about this plot appeals to you at all, you need to start this book *immediately*. I can say with almost full confidence that you will not be disappointed. Brilliant!! I will one thousand percent be reading this entire series now and I am SO stoked for it.
I wasn’t confused by it once, (even if I did take character notes just to be safe). Usually books like this that have so many layers - I can still love, but get a bit mixed up in. Not this one at all. It was complex, but didn’t confuse me. I enjoyed every second of it + there were times where I reallyyyy was hanging onto every word and couldn’t read it fast enough. I love books like that. Not one thing would I change.
Listened to it on audio. I can say with full honesty that if I hadn’t received it as a gift in the mail from the author, I 100%, would’ve bought it for my shelf because it’s just THAT good. Narrator was really awesome and talented. Just the right amount of stern and I loved it. Great reader and really awesome to listen to, too.
I really loved how it wasn’t out of left field with the turns. Like it wasn’t completely and utterly ridiculous or implausible with what she wrote in. That being said, it’s not like they were too easy either. Like I keep on saying as before, just perfect. And I’m going to say again how much I LOVED the characters.
Not the first time nor the last I will be talking about this one. HUGE thank you to hambright pr and the author for my audio & physical copy.
Please go it add it to your TBR rn!! Go!! (And don’t be intimidated by how long it is, I didn’t want it to end!!) Summed up so nicely as well. Giddy & kicking my feet status rn. SO GOOD. Went back to listen to it twice hehe … go read !! 🫶🏻
Loved the author’s note in my physical copy. Just beautiful. (And I wanted to add- the name drop of the title in court- chefs kiss)
April 7, 2025
#ad many thanks for the book and audiobook @hambright #partner
🅸🆁🆁🅴🅿🅰🆁🅰🅱🅻🅴 🅷🅰🆁🅼
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴠɪᴀ ᴋᴜ
Irreparable Harm by Melissa F Miller is an action-packed legal thriller that you won’t be able to put down. It grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very last.
There’s nothing I love more than a legal thriller. But this book focused more on the investigation and what happens outside of the courtroom. However, it was still a great listen and I enjoyed the plot. While I do wish there had been more courtroom dramas happening, this is still a solid read.
The second type of books I love - besides legal thrillers - are airplane thrillers, so when both of those things come together it’s perfection.
What this book does have is ACTION! Lots and lots of action that makes for a fun read/listen. Sasha is a kick-ass character and I absolutely love her!
📖:
“ꜱᴋɪʟʟꜰᴜʟ ᴘʟᴏᴛᴛɪɴɢ, ꜱᴜʀᴘʀɪꜱɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪꜱᴛꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙʀɪꜱᴋ ᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɢʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴜꜱᴀ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ʙᴇꜱᴛꜱᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴇɴᴛʀʏ ɪɴ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ-ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ. ᴅᴏᴡɴʟᴏᴀᴅᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀꜱ!
ᴀᴛᴛᴏʀɴᴇʏ ꜱᴀꜱʜᴀ ᴍᴄᴄᴀɴᴅʟᴇꜱꜱ ʜᴀꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴀᴍʙɪᴛɪᴏɴ: ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛɴᴇʀ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰɪʀᴍ ɪɴ ᴛᴏᴡɴ. ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴀ ᴘʟᴜᴍ ᴀꜱꜱɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘʟᴜɴɢᴇꜱ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ.
ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇʀᴄɪᴀʟ ꜰʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴄʀᴀꜱʜᴇꜱ, ᴋɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴏɴ ʙᴏᴀʀᴅ, ꜱʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴛᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀʟɪɴᴇ. ɪᴛ'ꜱ ʜᴇʀ ʙɪɢ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ—ʜɪɢʜ-ꜱᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ʟɪᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴄʟɪᴇɴᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ, ᴀꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ᴅɪɢꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴠɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪᴇ.
ꜱʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴀꜱʜ ᴡᴀꜱ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ, ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢʟʏ ᴇᴠɪʟ ᴘʟᴀɴ. ᴜɴꜱᴜʀᴇ ɪꜰ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʀᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴀɢᴜᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʀʀɪꜰʏɪɴɢ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ, ꜱʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴍꜱ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ꜰᴇᴅᴇʀᴀʟ ᴀɪʀ ᴍᴀʀꜱʜᴀʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴇᴠᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɪʀʟɪɴᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ.
ꜱᴏᴏɴ, ꜱᴀꜱʜᴀ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʜᴇʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʙʀᴀɴᴅ-ɴᴇᴡ ʟɪꜰᴇ ɢᴏᴀʟ: ꜱᴛᴏᴘ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴅᴍᴀɴ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇ ᴋɪʟʟꜱ ʜᴇʀ.”
#IrreparableHarm #hambright #legalthriller
🅸🆁🆁🅴🅿🅰🆁🅰🅱🅻🅴 🅷🅰🆁🅼
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴠɪᴀ ᴋᴜ
Irreparable Harm by Melissa F Miller is an action-packed legal thriller that you won’t be able to put down. It grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very last.
There’s nothing I love more than a legal thriller. But this book focused more on the investigation and what happens outside of the courtroom. However, it was still a great listen and I enjoyed the plot. While I do wish there had been more courtroom dramas happening, this is still a solid read.
The second type of books I love - besides legal thrillers - are airplane thrillers, so when both of those things come together it’s perfection.
What this book does have is ACTION! Lots and lots of action that makes for a fun read/listen. Sasha is a kick-ass character and I absolutely love her!
📖:
“ꜱᴋɪʟʟꜰᴜʟ ᴘʟᴏᴛᴛɪɴɢ, ꜱᴜʀᴘʀɪꜱɪɴɢ ᴛᴡɪꜱᴛꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙʀɪꜱᴋ ᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɢʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴜꜱᴀ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ʙᴇꜱᴛꜱᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴇɴᴛʀʏ ɪɴ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ-ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ. ᴅᴏᴡɴʟᴏᴀᴅᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀꜱ!
ᴀᴛᴛᴏʀɴᴇʏ ꜱᴀꜱʜᴀ ᴍᴄᴄᴀɴᴅʟᴇꜱꜱ ʜᴀꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴀᴍʙɪᴛɪᴏɴ: ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛɴᴇʀ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰɪʀᴍ ɪɴ ᴛᴏᴡɴ. ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴀ ᴘʟᴜᴍ ᴀꜱꜱɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘʟᴜɴɢᴇꜱ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ.
ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇʀᴄɪᴀʟ ꜰʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴄʀᴀꜱʜᴇꜱ, ᴋɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴏɴ ʙᴏᴀʀᴅ, ꜱʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴛᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀʟɪɴᴇ. ɪᴛ'ꜱ ʜᴇʀ ʙɪɢ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ—ʜɪɢʜ-ꜱᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ʟɪᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴄʟɪᴇɴᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ, ᴀꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ᴅɪɢꜱ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴠɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪᴇ.
ꜱʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴀꜱʜ ᴡᴀꜱ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ, ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢʟʏ ᴇᴠɪʟ ᴘʟᴀɴ. ᴜɴꜱᴜʀᴇ ɪꜰ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʀᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴀɢᴜᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʀʀɪꜰʏɪɴɢ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ, ꜱʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴍꜱ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ꜰᴇᴅᴇʀᴀʟ ᴀɪʀ ᴍᴀʀꜱʜᴀʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴇᴠᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɪʀʟɪɴᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ.
ꜱᴏᴏɴ, ꜱᴀꜱʜᴀ ꜰɪɴᴅꜱ ʜᴇʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʙʀᴀɴᴅ-ɴᴇᴡ ʟɪꜰᴇ ɢᴏᴀʟ: ꜱᴛᴏᴘ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴅᴍᴀɴ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇ ᴋɪʟʟꜱ ʜᴇʀ.”
#IrreparableHarm #hambright #legalthriller
April 21, 2022
3.5
I liked this a lot more than I was expecting too. I admit, it did take a little while for me to actually get into this but once I got there, there was no turning back. I really liked our main character Sasha, she was a badass not only in the courtroom, but when she was fending off baddies too. I also really liked Leo and his relationship with Sasha, they worked well together.
I am a little bit interested in where this series goes, especially with the way this one ended, but whether I’ll actually carry on is another story.
I liked this a lot more than I was expecting too. I admit, it did take a little while for me to actually get into this but once I got there, there was no turning back. I really liked our main character Sasha, she was a badass not only in the courtroom, but when she was fending off baddies too. I also really liked Leo and his relationship with Sasha, they worked well together.
I am a little bit interested in where this series goes, especially with the way this one ended, but whether I’ll actually carry on is another story.
March 22, 2025
I have come to the conclusion that legal suspense must not be for me because this was boring. Even the action was still somehow boring and there were so many legal words I was falling asleep. Snoozefest. Plus the FMC had the personality of a wet paper bag
August 14, 2025
In my younger years, I read a lot of mysteries and legal thrillers. I forgot how much I enjoyed a well-written one until I stumbled on a reply from Melissa Miller to someone’s request for recommendations on social media. She has created a FMC I can get behind: Smart, capable, no-nonsense, and a formally trained, serious martial artist. The best compliment I can give is that when I finished, I promptly ignored my TBR and downloaded the next in the series. Looking forward to enjoying all of the Sasha McCandless stories!
March 23, 2012
The legal thriller "Irreparable Harm", by Melissa F. Miller begins with an airliner crashing into the side of a mountain for no apparent reason. All aboard are killed.
Sasha McCandless is a lawyer on track to soon make partner in her large law firm. The airline company is a client of the firm and the team scrambles to prepare for the inevitable law suits resulting from the accident. Until she discovers it wasn't an accident.
A company has developed an application that can take over control of a plane's on board computer remotely and cause it to crash. They are seeking to sell it to the highest bidder but need to demonstrate it's effectiveness first.
As Sasha delves into the mystery surrounding the crash the bodies begin to start piling up around her. After the HR executive at the company inadvertently sends her top secret information the company sends some hired thugs after her to get the information back and do away with her.
She is joined in her investigation by a TSA internal investigator who is also seeking answers regarding the crash. Together they try to stop the next plane from crashing and have justice served.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. The core characters were well developed. I especially enjoyed Sasha because she was such a strong, physically capable and intelligent female lead. She was able to take care of herself. I also loved the two thugs because they were just plain funny.
The novel did have quite a bit more action then courtroom scenes in it but it worked for me.
Sasha McCandless is a lawyer on track to soon make partner in her large law firm. The airline company is a client of the firm and the team scrambles to prepare for the inevitable law suits resulting from the accident. Until she discovers it wasn't an accident.
A company has developed an application that can take over control of a plane's on board computer remotely and cause it to crash. They are seeking to sell it to the highest bidder but need to demonstrate it's effectiveness first.
As Sasha delves into the mystery surrounding the crash the bodies begin to start piling up around her. After the HR executive at the company inadvertently sends her top secret information the company sends some hired thugs after her to get the information back and do away with her.
She is joined in her investigation by a TSA internal investigator who is also seeking answers regarding the crash. Together they try to stop the next plane from crashing and have justice served.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. The core characters were well developed. I especially enjoyed Sasha because she was such a strong, physically capable and intelligent female lead. She was able to take care of herself. I also loved the two thugs because they were just plain funny.
The novel did have quite a bit more action then courtroom scenes in it but it worked for me.
July 25, 2014
I picked this up on a friend's recommendation because he knows how much I dislike John Grisham. He was right. Melissa Miller's narrative and the central character she creates in Sasha are interesting, and I found myself actually engaged in a story that could, in the hands of a lesser writer, have become tedious to the point of agony.
In a few words, Sasha works for a mega-sized law firm, is working toward partnership, and lands a potential class-action case around a plane crash. Circumstances become strange quickly, her life is threatened over something about which she knows nothing at first, and she demonstrates via actions and words that her moral compass is truer than perhaps her professional one.
Minor points:
I felt the Krav Maga was overused, but I suppose for the non-legalistic action, it works.
The best part for me was the sequence in the parking lot where the air marshal....lets say he pulls a con that made me laugh my butt off.
The worst part was the final conversation with the judge...I really thought he was going to offer her a job in his office.
If you want to read something that is engaging, has a strong female character, and where the author's expertise does not make the narrative being a heap of jargon, go ahead and get this. It is worth it.
In a few words, Sasha works for a mega-sized law firm, is working toward partnership, and lands a potential class-action case around a plane crash. Circumstances become strange quickly, her life is threatened over something about which she knows nothing at first, and she demonstrates via actions and words that her moral compass is truer than perhaps her professional one.
Minor points:
I felt the Krav Maga was overused, but I suppose for the non-legalistic action, it works.
The best part for me was the sequence in the parking lot where the air marshal....lets say he pulls a con that made me laugh my butt off.
The worst part was the final conversation with the judge...I really thought he was going to offer her a job in his office.
If you want to read something that is engaging, has a strong female character, and where the author's expertise does not make the narrative being a heap of jargon, go ahead and get this. It is worth it.
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